Stealing Memorials Plaques As Low As It Gets

EDITORIAL

How can anyone desecrate a memorial to veterans?

November 12, 2012

When the price of scrap metal rose a few years ago, thefts of metal began to rise. Soon enough, thieves were going after virtually anything made of copper, brass or even steel. Statues, cemetery markers, guardrails, light poles, manhole covers and boat anchors have been stolen. Copper pipes and wires have been pulled out of vacant buildings. Wire and fixtures were ripped from historic streetcars at the Connecticut Trolley Museum.

But for antisocial, disrespectful, small-minded villainy, stealing plaques from war memorials is almost in a class by itself. Who could be so ignorant, shameless or desperate that he would dishonor the memory of those who gave their lives to protect the nation?

Five bronze plaques were stolen from the handsome World War I Memorial in Walnut Hill Park in New Britain last month. The plaques bore the names of city residents who gave their lives in the Great War. None of the plaques has been recovered, nor have there been any arrests.

Late last year, plaques were stolen from veterans' monuments in Ansonia, Derby and Shelton. Lawmakers responded. In May, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed a state law that makes it a Class D felony to vandalize or steal from a veterans' or war memorial, or knowingly possess or sell material stolen from one. U.S. Reps. Chris Murphy and Rosa DeLauro introduced legislation to toughen federal penalties against interstate transfer of material stolen from veterans' memorials.

Town officials are trying a variety of measures from security cameras to different materials — granite instead of metal — to stronger anchoring of plaques.

The soldiers who left New Britain, the Naugatuck Valley towns and every other community in Connecticut to serve the country endured hardship and horrors. Some of the men remembered on the New Britain monument likely suffered poison gas attacks. Communities came together because of a sacred duty to remember these sacrifices. How could someone not respect that?